Pipeline & Gas Journal
October issue 1999:

Year-Later Results

Corrosion Control Database Provides Savings To Utility

by Reagan Monroe Jr., Gas Standards & Engineering Unit, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Gas and Electric’s (BGE’s) decision to implement the Bass-Trigon CPDM Corrosion Control Database was a result of wanting to continually improve the way we do business. The existing system was charged with the management of over 30,000 new test point readings per year, which must be maintained for the life of the pipeline facility. The cumulative data requirements simply became unmanageable by manual methods. A significant amount of review time was required in any attempt to ensure adequacy of the records while still being subject to human error and misfiling. The existing system did not allow for exception reporting and total system comparisons. This resulted in many problem areas going undetected until our only option was main/service replacement.

With the use of the CPDM database, the corrosion control records are now mechanized and reside on the local area network (LAN). This serves as a means to permanently store and archive the records. Although only in operation for a year, benefits in using the database have been seen from a field as well as system management perspective. From a system management perspective, the database has allowed for the ability to make system-wide comparisons, improved Public Service Commission (PSC) audits through the generation of exception reports, and has provided a means to better manage workload while at the same time increasing work productivity and decreasing the average overtime rate of the technicians.

From a field perspective, the benefits have been seen in the way data is collected, stored, and queried. The package allows the corrosion technicians, through the use of field laptops, to be able to take readings while in the field and directly enter the readings in the database. The use of laptops, instead of dataloggers, gives technicians the ability to look up any history that is associated with test points which in turn significantly decreases the time spent trouble-shooting problems. In addition, the database automatically creates and tracks work order repairs and has an internal routing feature.

Although initial benefits from using the database have been observed, we expect that more will come. Once the full potential of the package is realized, even greater benefits will be seen. The mechanization of the corrosion records will now allow us to be proactive instead of reactive in addressing problem areas, maintaining data integrity, and improving our overall corrosion control system performance. Short-range plans for the database include both integration into an AM/FM/GIS System as well as an integration with our Metretek Cathodic Protection Monitor II (CP-II). We expect the long-term goals, as a result of using the database, will be seeing results in reduced capital requirements for main replacements, reduction in the O&M leak costs, and a full assurance of our corrosion records regulatory compliance.

Benefits From Management Perspective
Prior to the implementation of the database in 1997, the method that was used in maintaining corrosion records was through the use of pencil and paper. This method has been in place at BGE since 1964 and undoubtedly is still used by some utilities today. The sheets containing the test point readings for the entire system were maintained categorically in voluminous three leaf binders. Any attempts to analyze the data were done by the brute force method of manually going through the binders page-by-page and test point-by-test point. With 40 plus binders and 30,000 test points at hand and growing, this method simply became unbearable and very time-consuming for management.

As a result of the daunting task at hand, test points readings often went beyond compliance dates or were not scheduled to be taken. In addition, because of the nature of the system, work orders for the systems, which were issued, were either missed or not completed. In general, there were no collective means to tell what was done in the system, what was missed, and how many test points still had to be completed. Unfortunately for BGE, this would not be noticed until PSC audits were conducted.
System-Wide Comparisons

With the use of the Bass Trigon CPDM, much of the guesswork that was present in managing the system has been eliminated. The database allows for the ability to get a snap shot of the system by running queries. We are now able to run queries on any aspect of the system and are able to see the results on demand. Information that would normally take us days to complete now takes hours or even minutes. Good examples of what use to be time-consuming reports are the Corrosion Status Report and the Corrosion Control Work Order Report.

The Corrosion Status Report gives the overall status of the various components in our system, such as magnesium, bare steel, rectifiers, etc. This report gives an overall summary of the number of test points to test, the number tested, as well as percent completed for the year. Using manual methods, this report would take hours to complete but can be done in 15 minutes with the database. The Corrosion Control Work Order Report gives a summary of the work orders issued, the number pending, as well as the completed number. By manual means this would normally take six to eight hours to compile but with the database it takes approximately three minutes. In addition to giving BGE a means to make system comparisons, the database offers a considerable timesaving in managing the system.
Improved PSC Audits
Although only in use for a year, we have noticed that the results of audits performed on the system by the PSC have improved considerably. The database, through the use of exception reports, now allows us to address issues that were normally missed or overlooked under the manual system. Reports can be run to determine anything from which test points are close to being out of compliance to which ones don’t meet criteria. This information allows us to address and correct the problems internally before being picked up by external audits. It is worth noting that there have been no compliance violations reported as a result of using the new database.

Another way that the database has improved audits is through the use of perception. In using the database, the PSC has seen and commented that we are aggressively maintaining our corrosion system. By having information that is complete, accurate, and readily available upon request, we can demonstrate that we are proactively monitoring our corrosion system.

Increased Work Productivity
In using the database, there has been a noticeable increase in work productivity. During the year with the database implemented, the corrosion technicians were able to finish six to eight weeks ahead of the previous year’s schedule. We determined this to be true for several reasons. The corrosion technicians are given the entire corrosion system on their laptops whereas before they were given only a section of the corrosion system on paper. They were only able to work that section. With the database, once they complete a section, they can call for a new assigned section to work on.

Another reason we attribute to the work increase is due to the custom reports that we are able to get from the database. The Corrosion Control Daily Time Overview Report tells us how many test points a technician has read and the time taken to complete these readings. The report is automatically dated and time stamped by the database. Since the technicians know this report is available, they realize that they are more accountable for the work they perform. As a result, they are more accurate in their record-keeping and more cognitive of their work production output.

Decreased Average Overtime Rate
A 4 percent increase in the average overtime rate for the corrosion technicians was seen during the first year the database was in use. This occurred despite the fact that there were 360 new test points to read, one less technician available to do the work for six months, and the database technicians were new to the system. We attributed this unexpected benefit to the overall efficiency gained in using the database versus our previous methods.

Benefits From Field Perspective
For many of the technicians, the idea of changing the way that corrosion records were collected, stored and maintained was somewhat frightening. Therefore, it would be unfair not to mention that there were several hurdles that had to be overcome during the implementation phase of the project. In fact, not only did the technicians have to be trained on how to use the database, but they also had to be trained on how to use laptops. To ease fears, the technicians were given a basic training class by our IT Unit on using computers with a Windows environment. Bass-Trigon, as part of the project implementation, conducted training sessions for management and technicians. We found this approach significantly reduced anxiety and reduced the learning curve in using the corrosion database.

Data Collection
The decision was made to provide the technicians with laptops instead of dataloggers to collect readings and information. There were two reasons for this: The first was the concern of storage capacity. The technicians only report to the office on Fridays. The current dataloggers on the market were inadequate for our needs. They only allowed for a couple of days of information to be stored and we needed an entire week. The second was job functionality. For many utilities, corrosion technicians simply take readings and perform no other functions. In those cases, the datalogger would be suitable. The corrosion technicians at BGE do more than just take readings; they are responsible for troubleshooting as well.

The database package allows the corrosion technicians to be able to take readings while in the field and directly enter the readings in the database. The technicians are also able to initiate work orders while in the field. Use of laptops allows them to have complete information ranging from previous years’ readings, special notes/comments to work order history of the entire system. Thus, technicians can look up any history that is associated with test points which in turn significantly decreases the time spent trouble-shooting problems.

Data Storage/Archival
The main database for the corrosion records resides on the Local Area Network (LAN) where the records are permanently stored and archived. On Fridays, the technicians come to the office and link up to docking stations where they perform an "import/export" procedure. During the "export" process, all the information from the various laptops is sent to the main database on the LAN for synchronization. It is at this point that the main database is updated and work orders are automatically generated, recorded and printed.

During the "import" process, the entire database is copied to the individual laptops. In this manner, each technician has all the updates, readings and work orders issued by the system.

Routing
The routing feature in the database is one that we are just starting to take advantage of in the field. This feature allows test points to be read based upon their geographic location out in the field as opposed to random points on paper. Many times the technicians would take a test point reading on Street "A" . Then the technician would go around the corner to read the next point on Street "B" - only to find that the next test point reading is back on Street "A". This process is not only tedious and annoying to the technician but is an avoidable cost, in many cases, to the utility.

Currently, the bimonthly rectifier checks are set up on a route. This allows the rectifiers to be read in the most expedient manner possible. We hope to incorporate the routing feature in other parts of the corrosion system.

Conclusion
The decision to implement the Bass-Trigon Corrosion Database at BGE made good business sense. We are continually looking to improve the ways we do business, and the implementation of the database has helped us with that objective.
We are excited about the short-term success of the database and are already looking ahead to incorporate it into both future and existing systems at BGE. One possibility we will explore is to incorporate the database in the newly approved for implementation AM/FM/GIS system. This will allow the test points to be referenced by global position coordinates. Location of the test points will be found without the use physical landmarks which often are changed.

Another future endeavor will be to integrate our Metretek Remote Monitoring Rectifier System into the corrosion database. With this accomplished, the rectifier readings will be read remotely and stored directly into the database.

We expect the long-term goals, as a result of the proactive nature in using the database, will be to see results in reduced capital requirements for main replacements and a reduction in O&M leak costs.

This article was presented at the A.G.A. Operations Conference in May 1999 in Cleveland, OH. The author wishes to thank Harry Peluso, Corrosion Control Coordinator, for his assistance. P&GJ

Author’s Note:
Reagan Monroe Jr. has a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland. He has been an engineer in the Gas Standards and Engineering Unit at BGE for four years. His responsibilities include creating, writing and maintaining gas standards and construction installation techniques/practices; representing the company on various regulatory agencies/organizations, and serving as project manager.